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A- J.- BRUSSEAU.

EXPANSIBLE vessu coven.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5, 195- 1,198.,1 1L6. Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

2 SHEET$SHEET I.

ghoeutoz WW M Jfirzmaeaz A. J. BRUSSEAU.

EXPANSIBLE VESSEL COVER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15.1915.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Q v vtme was a. mmaaeaz ADOLPHUS J. BRUSSEAU, OFPLYMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM A. KIMBALL, OFPLYMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

EXPANSIBLE VESSEL-COVER.

1,1os,11c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

Application filed July 15, 1915. Serial No. 40,089.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLri-IUs J. BRUS- snAU, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Plymouth, in the county of Graf ton and State of NewHampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inExpansible Vessel-Covers; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to improvements in covers for vessels and moreparticularly to expansible and contractible covers of this character.

The object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed andeflicient top of this character so formed that it may be quickly andeasily expanded or contracted by a simple turn of the wrist.

Another object is to provide a cover of this character constructed of aplurality of radially movable overlapping sections, the operatingmechanism for which is housed between two members whereby it isprotected against injury and dust.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement ofparts as will be more fully dc scribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a plan view of a topconstructed in accordance with this invention expanded to its fullextent. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a bottom planview with the inner plate removed; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view showingthe top in its extreme expanded position with the inner plate removed;Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6is detail perspective view of one of the sec tions.

In the embodiment illustrated this improved cover is shown composed of ahousing comprising two outwardly convexed plates 1 and 2 between whichare housed radially movable extension plates 3, in the form offrusto-sectors, the inner edges of which are shown curved inwardlyalthough they need not necessarily be so curved. The ends or side edgesof adjacent plates overlap each other at all times, and said plates areadapted to be expanded and contracted radially, to enlarge or reduce thesize of the cover. Six of these frusto-sector shaped plates or sections3 are shown, which when assembled, form an annular extension member, butany desired number may be employed, four or more being preferable. Eachof these sections 3 is provided intermediately of its side edges with aradially extending groove 4 formed by depressing the metal from whichthe section is made and in which is designed to be mounted headed studs5 carried by and depending from the outer member 1 preferably near theperiphery thereof and whereby said sections are guided in their radialmovements and prevented from becoming accidentally detached. Each ofthese sections 3 is provided with a rack bar 6 which is preferablyloop-shaped and extends radially inward from the inner edge of thesection and is here shown substantially rectangular in form with one ofthe side bars thereof provlded on its inner edge with teeth 7 for apurpose to be described. These loop-shaped rack members 6 are offsetlaterally as shown in Fig. 5 to adapt them to be arranged in superposedposition on the pinion while the plates by which they are carried aredisposed substantially in the same plane. These bars 6 may be of anysuitable or desired length according to the extent to which the sectionsare designed to be projected and the length of the groove 4 therein, itbeing obvious that when the headed studs 5 become engaged with the innerends of these grooves that said sections cannot be projected anyfarther, as the studs and the end walls of the grooves form an effectivestop for limiting the outward movement ofsaid sections, and similarlywhen said sections are contracted, the engagement of the studs with theouter ends of the grooves limit their inward movement.

A shaft 8 extends centrally through the members 1 and 2 and isrotatab-ly mounted therein, being provided on its outer end with ahandle 9 for operating the shaft. Secured to or made integral with saidshaft between said members 1 and 2 is an elon gated pinion 10 whichprojects through the overlapping superposed loop-shaped rack bars 6 ofthe various sections and with which the rack teeth 7 of the respectivesections are designed to mesh, suitable washers 11 being arranged belowsaid pinion and ion which is straddled by the side members of saidloops. 7

' From the above description, it will be obvious that when the handle 9is turned in one direction, the pinion carried by the shaft on which itis mounted will turn with it and thereby move the rack bars 6 eitherinward or outward according to the direction in which the handle isturned and thus project or retract the sections 3 for varying the sizeof the lid or cover according to the wishes of the user. Thus it will beobserved that the cover may be employed in connection with a number ofvessels either large or small and that all that is necessary to vary itssize is to turn the handle 9 in one direction or the other, a partialrevolution thereby serving to retract or expand the segments to theirextreme limit.

I claim as my invention:

1. An expansible and contractible cover for vessels comprisingsuperposed inner and outer members spaced slightly apart, a pluralityof'radially movable frusto-sector shaped sections mounted between saidmembers, and Vmeans operable through one of said'members for expandingand contracting said sections.

'2. An expansible and contracti'ble cover for vessels comprising twooutwardly convexed members, a shaft revolubly mounted in said membersand connecting them, a

pinion mounted on said shaft, and a plurality of radially movablefrusto-sector shaped sections mounted between said plates and havingrack bars extending from their inner edges and engaged with said pinionwhereby on the turning of said shaft said sections may be retracted orprojected, the adjacent sections lapping at all times.

3. An expansible and contractible cover for vessels comprising a housingcomposed of two outwardly convexed members arranged in superposedrelation, a shaft revolubly mounted in said members and connecting them,a pinion mounted on said shaft between said members, a handle connectedwith one end of said shaft outside said outer member, and a plu'a-lityof radially movable frusto-sector shaped sections mounted to slidebetween said members and having rack bars extending from their inneredges and engaged with said pinion, said bars being offset laterallyfrom their respective sections to adapt them to be arranged insuperposed relation without affecting the position of the sections, saidsections having their adjacent side edges lapping at all times, andcoope 'ating guiding means carried by said sections and one of saidhousing members for controlling the extent of movement of said sectionsin opposite directions.

4. A device of the class described comprising a housing having acircumferential opening, a plurality of radially movable sectionsmounted to operate in said opening, said sections having their adjacentedges arranged in contacting relation at all times, means for projectingand retracting said sections disposed within said housing, and anactuator for said projecting and Le tracting means.

5. An expansible and contractible cover for'vessels including aplurality of radially movable sections each having a loop-shaped memberextending inwardly, said members having rack teeth on one of the innerwalls thereof and being arranged in superposed relation, a pinionextending through said superposed loop-shaped members, the distancebetween the sides of said members being substantially equal to thediameter of said pinion, whereby the teeth of the loops are held inoperative engagement with said pinion, and the sections guided in theirmovements, and means for actuating said pinion to project and retractsaid sections.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ADOLPHUS J. BRUSSEAU. lVitnesses WVALTER M. FLINT, M. B. BoLAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

